<p>I like leaving it up at long as possible, which usually means when we panic about public works picking it up from the curb. This year, S (15) decorated it all himself, which means when it came to putting on the lights, which had gotten hopelessly tangled, he viewed this electric “snarl” the size of a basketball and just…put it on the tree. So if we leave the lights on too long, it will burst into flame. But it’s all his work, and it makes me smile.</p>
<p>Take it down on Jan 2</p>
<p>I never knew there was a rule. I take it down when I feel like it.</p>
<p>We usually put ours up the weekend before Christmas and take it down sometime after Jan. 6.</p>
<p>The tree “drop off” lots here are open until the end of January, so no rush.</p>
<p>It makes me sad when I see folks taking their trees down before the 12th day of Christmas.
Our anniversary is in early Jan.–I’m glad it is during the Christmas season with decorations still up and the house looking festive.</p>
<p>You’re right marian, there really are no rules. And now you all have me thinking i can leave it up till well into the new year. That’s kind of freeing really! I was antsy to get it down before I have some surgery next week, but it may actually make me feel better while recouping on the couch. 
As far as I know there aren’t any ‘tree police’ in our town so no worries…</p>
<p>Up until the kids went to college, we put the tree up in early December and took it down about 4 weeks later. Now that they’re no longer permanently residing here, I find the whole “tree thing” somewhat depressing. Sometimes I don’t think they (or H) would care if we didn’t have one. This year the tree went up on the 18th. Truthfully, I’d be happy to take it down tomorrow. Also, in order to put the tree in the “right” place in the family room, we have to move half the furniture over to the other side of the room. Right now “my” chair is squished into a corner, in front of a very drafty window. Sorry if I sound like a grinch, but Christmas and empty nests sometimes don’t go well together.</p>
<p>This year we surprised my mom with a lovely artificial tree that we decorated for her a few weekends ago, lights and all…and of course, it is now our responsibility to take it down too. She hasn’t had her own tree for a few years, as she comes to our place for the holidays, so it was quite special for her. </p>
<p>Well now she says likes it so much, she’s thinking of just moving it into her bedroom, where she can enjoy it all year long. Lol. She’s always been eccentric but this cracks me up. And it’s one way to get out of having to undecorate it for her!</p>
<p>Starbright - It’s a good thing you opted for an artificial tree!</p>
<p>We switched to an artificial tree the year I got divorced. There is enough yard work (especially snow removal this year!!!) without adding tree-trunk trimming/tree-stand wrestling into the mix. Picked up a fairly expensive one for half price the week after Xmas, and have been very happy with it. Except last year, when I was putting it up by myself and accidently put part C into part A and they got stuck. But I took a break for some eggnog, found the strength of 10 grinches plus two, and pulled it apart. Now part of taking it down is to VERY CAREFULLY label each piece so they go together in the right order the next year.</p>
<p>My artificial tree looks pathetic. It has functioned as a humongous cat toy for the past two weeks. The bottom third is bare, strands of garland hang like limp noodles a couple of places, a few ornaments are on the floor, and there aren’t presents underneath the tree anymore. It’s coming down tomorrow.</p>
<p>Instead of doing one big tree, my sister (no kids)did two small tabletop trees ordered from LL Bean this year. They’re pretty,fragrant and unobtrusive enough to keep as long as they last. I might eventually go toward something like that.</p>
<p>Like Mansfield, we have to rearrange furniture in our small family room to accomodate the tree. After a couple of weeks, it does become tiresome to walk around awkward furniture placements that make the small room even more crowded.</p>
<p>I am impressed with everyone who can hold off until Jan 6th. I usually opt for Dec 26th, but unfortunately too many family get togethers to get it done yet. For me, when it’s over, it’s over. I don’t like the un-decorating task looming over me. I do keep some lights on the back deck though. They help a bit with the early darkness and gloom of Jan and Feb.</p>
<p>We celebrate Epiphany (Jan 6). Typically, the kids get a small gift in their stockings in the morning, then in the evening we all take down the Christmas decorations together while we eat King’s Cake and drink hot chocolate. Making it “festive” makes it seem like less of a chore.</p>
<p>My family one time kept the tree inside until March! </p>
<p>lol</p>
<p>I left my tree up for 2 years. It is a synthetic tree that does not break down very easily, and is too heavy for me to move by myself. After asking for, and not receiving, help in putting it away I just thought to hell with it and left it up. The first year I at least took all the ornaments off. Last year I took the tinsel and angel and some shiny stuff off, and put away the misc. things that sit at the bottom of the tree (santas and moose and stuff). Have not decided its fate this year. I am mulling getting a huge rubbermaid box on wheels to stuff it into this year. But the box will sit in the same corner unless I move it, so the tree might be more attractive.</p>
<p>Moral - check the weight of your tree when you buy a synthetic one, especially if you are getting to be a bit on the decrepit side.</p>
<p>When the kids were little, we used to always take the tree down New Year’s Eve - the process was something that kept them awake and gave them their second wind when they were trying to stay up till midnight.</p>
<p>I would like to get mine down before NY Eve this year. No matter when I take it down though, I somehow feel like Scrooge! But I have always enjoyed having a few days of Christmas vacation NOT be all about Christmas! I do leave the greenery on the mantel and a few other things up that are not specifically “Christmas” for most of January.</p>
<p>I usually have the tree down 2 to 3 days after Christmas. I just get tired of walking around it. This year I don’t even care if it sits there for another month. I am not sure why I don’t care. Maybe it is because no one helps me put it up or take it down.</p>
<p>I usually wait for a weekend after New Years to take it down. Our tree goes up in stages…so it comes down in stages. I have a wonderful “snow village” that I have collected over 20 years that took me 5 hours to set up. I really enjoy it but KNOW that I have to have an afternoon to dedicate the time. Same goes for taking it down. All those ceramic houses go back into their assigned styrofoam boxes - too delicate to be rushed and frustrated.</p>
<p>I had a friend over last weekend who asked my what the legacy will be for “the village”. I long ago decided that I put it up because I enjoy it. I have no idea if the kids will ever be interested in it.</p>
<p>Swimcatsmom,<br>
My MIL always said if she won the lotto she’d build a house with a giant closet and put wheels on her Christmas tree stand. Then every year she’s just wheel it back in for storage :-).</p>
<p>I keep the tree up until I a embarrassed by it - one year that was March! I love it. It went up over Thanksgiving week and will stay up through at least January. I take a few ornaments off every week until they’re gone and then just enjoy the lights. Lighting it is the first thing I do every morning. I got a nice artificial one a few years ago just so I could keep it up longer.</p>